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Messages - Indianacharlie

I think back five or so years ago saying I only wanted to use paper maps too. That is until a friend was good enough to spend three hours showing me the various options of a Garmin 605. It provided the feature I wanted which was to create a route on Google Map or other internet mapping system then download it to my GPS. Since then I have not gone back to the paper maps. I've found Google Map Street View to be a real help. Even if the road is not photographed I can view down the road at an intersection and get an Idea if I want to put it on the route for verification list. It also allows zooming in and see road surfaces however this is subjective at times.Some of the shortcomings are of course battery life, and not as friendly when diverting off the track to another point.

Hopefully I can help you with some routing in KY. Check out my blog/site (below) for remote routes. I have a few routes that can be linked together to get you just West of Lexington where you should be able to work your way into town.You can cross the Ohio River at Cincinnati or better yet catch the ferry to Augusta Kentucky (link below to video) where George Clooney grew up, quaint old river town.I'm working on a route between West Lebanon OH and the ferry terminal across from Agusta KY. This would link the Little Miami Trail remotely to the ferry terminal and bypass the greater Cincinnati area. Let me know if this would help!You'll find my routes on paved remote roads with little traffic. The downer for some is that they are most always more mileage however the scenery is always worth it, IMO!!Feel free to email me if you need more info.Hopefully this helps!Charlie Myerhttp://backroadsofindiana.blogspot.com/Little Miami Bike trail: http://littlemiamibiketrail.com/Ferry to Agusta, KY:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIOBgCSp74c&feature=youtube_gdata_player

I appreciate all the info that others are providing on suitability and i'm sure it is interesting to many so I'm not discouraging it however I do hope to gather more specific data on this topic.So if I could ask you to visit my blog at : http://backroadsofindiana.blogspot.com/and cast a vote for your preference;1. routes assembled using suitability data2. routes on remote paved county roads3. shortest route between two points

"Grunt work" is one of the things that I focus on. If there's enough cyclists out there who really use this type of info then I see a need. So that's the purpose of my original post. Are there really cyclists who want/use this info?Your response would help!ThanksIndianacharlie

There seems to be a push among many states to provide suitability mapping for cyclists. I wonder how many cyclists out there really want and use this type of information. I requested information from one of the states and received several nice maps for the whole state with color coding for suitability which was based on traffic counts and shoulder width. It was quite impressive and I'm sure took a bunch of time to gather this info, let alone the cost to print it. After reviewing this information I looked closer and found that almost all of the suitability color coding was on state and sometimes federal highways. Since I don't like to ride highways unless it is the only way to get there they are gathering dust in the filing cabinet in the attic.So what types of roads do people in this forum like to ride? Maybe I'm the oddball and the suitability maps are the answer to most cyclists dreams however if there are others out there that prefer the remote roads it'd be good to know.Any responses either way would be appreciated!

KarinI'm a proponent of the Ohio River Valley area for a E/W route. Check out my blog for remote and scenic routes in IN KY and a link to other KY routes. IMO the routes through Northern IL, IN and OH are less scenic.Good luck on your planning / trip.Charlie Myerhttp://backroadsofindiana.blogspot.com/

Should you be entering Indiana in the central area I have several routes that can get you across toward the Cincinnati or Toledo area.Here's a link to my routes: http://backroadsofindiana.blogspot.com/

My route from Evansville to Ft Wayne (link to blog below) follows the Wabash River on lightly traveled paved roads. It intersects with the Northern Tier at Lagro Indiana WSW of Ft Wayne and West of Monroeville.This may be to late to help you, sorry!

Check out the new route from SE Indiana into Kentucky via Ohio using the Historical Anderson Ferry. The route is for the most part on remote roads with the exception of US50 for a few miles in Ohio. I try to keep the routes off of highways as much as possible however doing so on this route adds miles and elevation. Crossing from Ohio into Kentucky the route uses the historic Anderson Ferry West of Cincinnati. Further down the road SW of Burlington Kentucky there is an option of riding through Rabbit Hash along the Ohio River. It's both scenic and nostalgic. Camping is available at Big Bone Lick State Park and motels just off the route near Walton.

Here's a link to my blog of routes in Indiana with a link to Kentucky routes. I haven't ridden the routes in Kentucky however I believe the resource for the routes is a fella out of Lexington who does brevets throughout the state and is well known for his routing. My routes in Indiana aren't the shortest however you won't be on busy highways and the scenery will be great.If you want to plan your own route through Indiana the blog has info on obtaining my book which shows most all paved roads in Indiana.Hope your trip goes well!